Elastic shoe

ABSTRACT

The present invention disclosed one of a pair of elastic shoes including a shoe body having a heel portion, and an elastic mechanism mounted on the heel portion of the shoe body. The elastic mechanism includes a plurality of air cells, and a plurality of plastic sleeves. The relatively higher elastic plastic sleeves are mounted around the air cells to produce a restoring force instantaneously when being subjected to the pressure, so that the elastic mechanism has an excellent resilience. Thus, the elastic shoe has excellent elasticity and shock-absorbing effect to provide a comfortable sensation to a user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to one of a pair of elastic shoes, andmore particularly to an elastic shoe having excellent shock-absorbingeffect to provide a comfortable sensation to a user.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional elastic shoe in accordance with the prior art shown inFIGS. 9 and 10 comprises a shoe body 30 having a heel portion 31, and anelastic mechanism 40 mounted on the heel portion 31 of the shoe body 30to provide an elastic shock-absorbing effect to the shoe body 30. Theelastic mechanism 40 includes a plurality of elastic posts 41 eachhaving an inside formed with a through hole 411. However, the elasticposts 41 cannot produce a restoring force instantaneously when beingsubjected to a pressure, so that the shock-absorbing effect of theelastic mechanism is limited greatly, thereby easily causing anuncomfortable sensation to a user.

The closest prior art reference of which the applicant is aware wasdisclosed in the Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 521588.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an elasticshoe, comprising a shoe body having a heel portion, and an elasticmechanism mounted on the heel portion of the shoe body to provide anelastic shock-absorbing effect to the shoe body. The elastic mechanismincludes a plurality of air cells, and a plurality of plastic sleeveseach mounted around a periphery of a respective one of the air cells.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an elasticshoe having excellent elasticity and shock-absorbing effect to provide acomfortable sensation to a user.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an elasticshoe, wherein the relatively higher elastic plastic sleeves are mountedaround the air cells to produce a restoring force instantaneously whenbeing subjected to the pressure, so that the elastic mechanism has anexcellent resilience.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide an elasticshoe, wherein the plastic sleeves having a relatively higher elasticityare mounted around the air cells to produce a restoring forceinstantaneously when being subjected to the pressure to prevent theelastic mechanism from losing its elastic force under the pressure,thereby enhancing the lifetime of the elastic mechanism.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide an elasticshoe, wherein when the applied pressure disappears, the elasticmechanism can restore instantaneously by its excellent resilience so asto provide an enhanced shock-absorbing effect to the shoe body.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide an elasticshoe, wherein when the air cells are subjected to a pressure, the aircells are connected with each other so that the applied pressure isdistributed by the air cells smoothly and evenly, thereby enhancing theshock-absorbing effect of the elastic mechanism.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide an elasticshoe, wherein the air cells and the plastic sleeves of the elasticmechanism are made by a plastic injection molding process, so that theelastic mechanism has a lighter weight, thereby decreasing the weight ofthe shoe body.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an elastic shoe in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the elastic shoe asshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partially side plan cross-sectional view of the elastic shoeas shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan assembly view of the elastic shoe as shown in FIG.2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic operational view of the elastic shoe as shown inFIG. 3 in use.

FIG. 6 is a partially top plan assembly view of an elastic shoe inaccordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a plastic sleeve of an elastic shoe inaccordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a plastic sleeve of an elastic shoe inaccordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a conventional elastic shoe inaccordance with the prior art.

FIG. 10 is a partially side plan cross-sectional view of theconventional elastic shoe as shown in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-4, one of a pair ofelastic shoes in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention comprises a shoe body 10 having a heel portion 11, and anelastic mechanism 20 mounted on the heel portion 11 of the shoe body 10to provide an elastic shock-absorbing effect to the shoe body 10.

The elastic mechanism 20 includes a plurality of air cells 21, and aplurality of plastic sleeves 22 each mounted around a periphery of arespective one of the air cells 21. In the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, the elastic mechanism 20 includes four air cells 21and four plastic sleeves 22.

The air cells 21 are arranged symmetrically and connected with eachother by a connecting pipe 23. The connecting pipe 23 has asubstantially X-shaped cross-sectional profile.

Each of the plastic sleeves 22 has a relatively higher elasticity. Eachof the plastic sleeves 22 is a hollow body and has a substantiallyoblong cross-sectional profile.

As shown in FIG. 1, at least one of the air cells 21 has a side providedwith an inflating nozzle 24 to fill air into the air cells 21 so as toadjust the air pressure contained in the air cells 21.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, when the air cells 21 are subjected to apressure, the air cells 21 are connected with each other so that theapplied pressure is distributed by the air cells 21 smoothly and evenly.In addition, the plastic sleeves 22 having a relatively higherelasticity are mounted around the air cells 21 to produce a restoringforce instantaneously when being subjected to the pressure, so that theelastic mechanism 20 has an excellent resilience. Thus, when the appliedpressure disappears, the elastic mechanism 20 can restoreinstantaneously by its excellent resilience so as to provide an enhancedshock-absorbing effect to the shoe body 10. In addition, the air cells21 and the plastic sleeves 22 of the elastic mechanism 20 are made by aplastic injection molding process, so that the elastic mechanism 20 hasa lighter weight, thereby decreasing the weight of the shoe body 10.Further, the plastic sleeves 22 having a relatively higher elasticityare mounted around the air cells 21 to produce a restoring forceinstantaneously when being subjected to the pressure to prevent theelastic mechanism 20 from losing its elastic force under the pressure,thereby enhancing the lifetime of the elastic mechanism 20.

Referring to FIG. 6, the elastic mechanism 20 includes five air cells 21and five plastic sleeves 22, wherein four air cells 21 are arrangedsymmetrically and one air cell 21 is located at a central portion of thefour air cells 21 and mounted on a central portion of the connectingpipe 23.

Referring to FIG. 7, each of the plastic sleeves 22 has a substantiallysemi-circular cross-sectional profile.

Referring to FIG. 8, each of the plastic sleeves 22 has a substantiallycircular cross-sectional profile.

Accordingly, the relatively higher elastic plastic sleeves 22 aremounted around the air cells 21 to produce a restoring forceinstantaneously when being subjected to the pressure, so that theelastic mechanism 20 has an excellent resilience. In addition, theplastic sleeves 22 having a relatively higher elasticity are mountedaround the air cells 21 to produce a restoring force instantaneouslywhen being subjected to the pressure to prevent the elastic mechanism 20from losing its elastic force under the pressure, thereby enhancing thelifetime of the elastic mechanism 20. Further, when the applied pressuredisappears, the elastic mechanism 20 can restore instantaneously by itsexcellent resilience so as to provide an enhanced shock-absorbing effectto the shoe body 10. Further, when the air cells 21 are subjected to apressure, the air cells 21 are connected with each other so that theapplied pressure is distributed by the air cells 21 smoothly and evenly,thereby enhancing the shock-absorbing effect of the elastic mechanism20. Further, the air cells 21 and the plastic sleeves 22 of the elasticmechanism 20 are made by a plastic injection molding process, so thatthe elastic mechanism 20 has a lighter weight, thereby decreasing theweight of the shoe body 10.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many otherpossible modifications and variations can be made without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated thatthe appended claim or claims will cover such modifications andvariations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

1. A elastic shoe, comprising: a shoe body having a heel portion; anelastic mechanism mounted on the heel portion of the shoe body toprovide an elastic shock-absorbing effect to the shoe body; wherein theelastic mechanism includes a plurality of air cells, and a plurality ofplastic sleeves each mounted around a periphery of a respective one ofthe air cells.
 2. The elastic shoe in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe elastic mechanism includes four air cells and four plastic sleeves.3. The elastic shoe in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the air cellsare arranged symmetrically.
 4. The elastic shoe in accordance with claim1, wherein the air cells are connected with each other.
 5. The elasticshoe in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air cells are connectedwith each other by a connecting pipe.
 6. The elastic shoe in accordancewith claim 1, wherein the connecting pipe has a substantially X-shapedcross-sectional profile.
 7. The elastic shoe in accordance with claim 1,wherein the each of the plastic sleeves has a relatively higherelasticity.
 8. The elastic shoe in accordance with claim 1, wherein eachof the plastic sleeves is a hollow body.
 9. The elastic shoe inaccordance with claim 1, wherein each of the plastic sleeves has asubstantially oblong cross-sectional profile.
 10. The elastic shoe inaccordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the air cells has aside provided with an inflating nozzle to fill air into the air cells soas to adjust the air pressure contained in the air cells.
 11. Theelastic shoe in accordance with claim 7, wherein the plastic sleeveshaving a relatively higher elasticity are mounted around the air cellsto produce a restoring force instantaneously when being subjected to apressure, so that the elastic mechanism has an excellent resilience. 12.The elastic shoe in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air cells andthe plastic sleeves of the elastic mechanism are made by a plasticinjection molding process.
 13. The elastic shoe in accordance with claim1, wherein the elastic mechanism includes five air cells and fiveplastic sleeves, wherein four air cells are arranged symmetrically andone air cell is located at a central portion of the four air cells. 14.The elastic shoe in accordance with claim 13, wherein the air cells areconnected with each other by a connecting pipe, and the one air cell ismounted on a central portion of the connecting pipe.
 15. The elasticshoe in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the plastic sleeves hasa substantially semi-circular cross-sectional profile.
 16. The elasticshoe in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the plastic sleeves hasa substantially circular cross-sectional profile.